Footage discovered of Army’s ‘first peacetime exercise’ in Cork town

Unique footage has emerged of a historic march undertaken by the Irish Army in Co Cork almost 60 years ago.

The clips show part of “Exercise Youghal,” a manoeuvre the Cork Examiner described as the Army’s “first peacetime exercise”, on Sunday July 22, 1956.

More than 1,000 soldiers gathered in the town before filing past then-taoiseach John A Costello; defence minister Seán MacEoin; external affairs minister Liam Cosgrave and Army top brass. A large crowd of locals and tourists witnessed the parade by Clancy’s bar in the Strand area.